Get ahead of the pain

Are migraines ruling your life? You?re not the only one

By Anonymous

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

It’s a debilitating condition which affects over six million people in the UK and is the cause of 18 million working days being lost every year. Unlike ‘regular’ headaches, migraines can last from four hours to three days. Famous sufferers include Marcia Cross, Elle Macpherson, Lisa Kudrow, Serena Williams and Hermione Norris. While pain-killing medication is the mainstay treatment for migraine and severe headaches, there is also plenty you can do to ease the underlying causes and beat the problem.

Marcia Cross knows what it?s like to suffer from migraines

Getting to the root of what is causing your headache could help you prevent or treat it more swiftly.What is a migraine? A migraine is a severe headache which can last between four and 72 hours and causes throbbing pain which tends to settle at one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea, flashing lights before the eyes, sensitivity to light, temporary blindness, tingling or stiffness in the limbs, an inability to concentrate, difficulty in speaking and, in rare cases, temporary paralysis or even loss of consciousness. There are two main types of migraine – migraine with aura and migraine without aura. An aura is when the sufferer sees flashing lights, blind spots or zigzag patterns around 15 minutes to one hour before the headache begins. Around 15 per cent of migraine sufferers experience auras. What causes a migraine?One of the most likely causes of a migraine attack is a fall in the levels of brain chemical serotonin. This results in changes in the blood vessels and neurotransmitters causing symptoms which accompany the headache. Migraines can also occur as a result of fluctuating hormones and it is also believed that they develop when blood vessels that supply the brain shrink or widen.When they attackThe peak time for a migraine attack for a woman is within two days either side of the start of a period. This is believed to be due to the combination of the plummeting of the oestrogen levels that occurs in the day or so before bleeding starts, combined with the release of prostaglandins from the womb that occurs with the onset of bleeding. You can help to prevent the effects of prostaglandins (which can also include period pains and digestive upsets) by taking drugs that block their action, such as ibuprofen. For more information, speak to your GP.The hormone changes that occur as women approach the menopause mean that all types of headaches, including migraine, become more common. HRT therapy can help ease the problem – talk to your doctor.Migraine triggersFor most people, a migraine attack isn’t caused by one single trigger. Usually it is a combination of factors, which individually can be tolerated but when several occur together, a threshold is passed, causing an attack. These triggers can include: stress, lack of food or infrequent meals, certain foods including cheese, chocolate, coffee, citrus fruits, fatty foods, wine, sherry, pork, beef, ice cream, cows’ milk, corn, sugar, bread, some additives and pickled, smoked and preserved foods. overtiredness (physical or mental), hormonal changes, extreme emotions, physical activity, environmental factors such as loud noise, flickering lights, working on a computer, severe climatic conditions, identifying your own triggers and then avoiding them can significantly lower the risk of attacks. __BREAK6__ Effective treatmentPeople with mild to moderate migraine can take simple painkillers. When symptoms are more severe, prescription medication can help. Experts agree that it is important to take any painkillers promptly because the gut can stop functioning during an attack, resulting in the medication not being absorbed. If you suffer from persistent headaches, it is important to see your doctor immediately, who can advise you on treatment. __BREAK7__ Reports have suggested that some headaches can be caused by taking too many of the painkillers to cure them. The key is to take painkillers as little as possible and not for two or more days consecutively. For further advice, speak to your doctor.Food for thoughtWhile some foods are common triggers, they are by no means the whole story. Experts suggest eating little and often to avoid a drop in your blood-sugar level, which can prompt an attack. When trying to stabilise blood-sugar levels, the worst thing you can do is to eat something sweet. This causes the blood-sugar level to rise too quickly. The body reacts by producing more insulin, the hormone that breaks down sugar, and so causes the blood-sugar level to drop even lower, triggering a headache. Opt for something that’s high in fibre such as a banana or a wholegrain biscuit. Good snacks include fresh or dried fruits, wholemeal biscuits and wholemeal cakes. Top nutritionist Jane Clarke says: ‘You should notice an improvement in the state of your head if you concentrate on eating high-fibre foods such as wholegrains and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, although not citrus fruits, which can be a headache trigger.’Just relax!Stress is a major cause of both headaches and migraines. Some experts believe this is due to the effects of stress hormones such as adrenaline in the blood. Try to build some stress-relieving techniques into your day. Take time to listen to music or a soothing relaxation tape, read a book, have a massage, do some yoga or simply get out for a walk in the fresh air – anything to help you unwind. Natural soothersThe herb feverfew has been used as a migraine treatment for centuries and its use is backed up by scientific research. It’s not a painkiller but, if used every day, can reduce the number of attacks. A study published in the British Medical Journal showed that taken daily, feverfew leaf can safely and effectively help to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. Certain essential oils, such as peppermint and lavender, can also be very effective at easing a migraine. Marcia’s migraine hell Actress Marcia Cross has suffered with migraine for years but says now, through lifestyle changes, she only has three or four a year. ‘I really watch stress and my trigger foods and all the things I need to do to stay migraine-free. I just cannot stand the pain,’ she says. Celebrity sufferersBen Affleck spent the Memorial Day holiday in a hospital in Boston Massachusetts last year after developing a serious migraine. Cold Feet star Hermione Norris says: ‘I’m pretty healthy but I suffer with bad headaches and migraines. I used to get them every month when I was a teenager, so it must have been hormonal. My fingers go numb and my vision cuts out – it’s horrible. I have to lie down in a dark room and take painkillers until it goes away.’ Serena Williams (left), the former world tennis number one, says: ‘I first suffered from menstrual migraine when I was 18. It was a severe headache triggered by the hormonal changes in my body during my menstrual cycle.’ American actress Rachel Bilson was involved in a head-on car crash when she was in her teens which left her unconscious for a few days. As a result of the accident, the star of The O.C has suffered with migraine headaches and memory loss.